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Compiled by Sopo Datishvili
Tuesday, January 27
New Rights and Republicans ask for debates with President

Kviris Palitra reports that the alliance of New Rights and Republicans has asked for debates on air with the President during their protest outside the First Channel building.

“We demand that the President sit with us and answer our questions on air. He isn’t ready for this yet, therefore, Saakashvili must resign,” said David Gamkrelidze. The questions New Rights and Republicans wish to raise with the President include: Why are the murderers of young people still free? Why have criminal acts committed on November 7, 2007 still not been investigated? Why is President Saakashvili still the Commander in Chief of the Army which lost a war? Why was Enguri handed to the Russians? and some others.

According to Gamkrelidze, Saakashvili should resign before he is toppled by the people. “There is little time left before the people do this,” said Gamkrelidze, adding that the President is hiding from society. “Soon the people will find him and then he will have to answer their questions.”

Leader of the Republican Party Davit Usupashvili said that he has only one question for the President: “is there anything Saakashvili does which he hasn’t learnt from Putin?’



Discounts will be available on municipal transport

Kviris Palitra reports that from February 1 discounts will be available on municipal transport.

The level of discount will depend on how often the passenger uses municipal transport in a given day. The more often they travel, the less will be their payment each time.

The discount will work in this way: the first journey by metro or bus will cost 40 tetri, the second 30, the third and subsequent journeys 20. Therefore if a person travels by public transport three times in a day, instead of GEL 1.20 they will pay only 90 tetri. People who don’t pay their fares however will be given a GEL 15 fine.

People will use plastic cards in the metro and on the buses which will record their travel and discounts.



New Patriarch of Russia may unite the South Ossetian eparchy with Russian Church

Rezonansi reports that the Russian Orthodox Church might annex the South Ossetian Eparchy after choosing a new Patriarch. Famous Russian religious commentator Nikolai Mitrokhin says that if the new Patriarch of All Russia is Kyril, Metropolitan of Kaliningrad and Smolensk, he will probably do this. It is known that the Kremlin supports Metropolitan Kyril’s candidacy.

On Sunday an Ecclesiastical Council of the Russian Church will choose the candidates for the Patriarchate and voting will be held at a larger Council, appointed for January 28. Delegates from different eparchies and lay people will also take part in the voting process.